Power-transmitting mechanism.



W. FLEENOR. POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION men szyr. 12. 1914.

1 ,202,500. Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

Fig.1

William Fleenol WWW driven members, and in which either dr STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FLEENOR, OF HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN C. ALLEN, OF HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN.

ovqnn-wmmsmmrne nnormmsm.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 19 10.

Appliyation filed September 12, 1914. Serial in. 881,459.

To all whom it mag concern Be it known that I, Wfnmxm Fnnnxon a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Highland Park, in the county of Wayne and State 3f Michigan, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Power-Transmitting Mechanisms, of which the following is a" specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. L1,

This Invention relatesto power transmitting mechanism in which driven members are positively rotated when turning at the same speed and are each free to turn independently of the other at a different speed,

the invention relating more particularly to differential mechanism for the driving axles of motor vehicles and the like whereby one traction wheel is permitted to turn at a greater speed than the other when said wheel is traveling in a path having a greater radius than the path of the other wheel.

The object of the invention is to provide a. simple construction for the purpose in whichthe driving member may be rotated in either direction to positively drive {the van member is free to rotate at a greater speed than itscompanion driven member in the di* rection of rotation of said member.

A further objeot'bf the invention is to provide a strong, compact, and durable construction which is cheap to manufacture and eflicient in its operation.

With these and other ends in view the inveiition consists in the matters hereinafter a device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same with parts broken away and in section, illustrating the relative arrangement of the driving and driven elements; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section substantially upon the line 111111 of Fig. 1; 4 is a sectional detail of a dog or deteht rming part of the mechanism; and F'g." 5 is a transverse sectional view of the same. p z

In describin mg invention by and of the views'above re erred to, I desire to point out that the same are intended as merely illustrative of a construction whereby my invention may be' applied in practice, and I do not anti-friction bearings confine my invention to the construction and arrangement of parts shown. V

Inthe drawings, the reference numeh'als 1 and 2 denote the opposed end portions of a divided axle, said axle parts beingwformed rectangular in cross section at the adjacent ends or otherwise shaped to engage and turn with hubs 4 of driven elements or disks 5 and 6. The outer ends of the hubs 4sare gournaled in anti-friction bearings 7 'supported by an axle casing or housing 8. I The T preserve the alinement of the confronting ends of the live axl.e part's 1 and 2 and ip'addi'tion to said bearings there is a pin 9 loosely fitting within axial bores in the confronting ends of 'the parts, said pin aiding in maintaining the inner ends of the-hubs 4 in proper alineinent for the hub 10 of a driving'member 11 which is sleeved thereon between -the'opposed faces of the disks 5 and 6. The driving member has beveled gear teeth formed thereon or upon a ring gear 12 secured thereto and in mesh with a bevel pinion 13 secured upon the end of a driving shaft 14, one end of which is revolubly supported by the axle casing or housing 8 in the usual mann r. 7

The hub 10 of the driving member 11 is free to revolve upon the adjacent ends of the hubs 4 of the driven members 5 and 6, said hub being of a'lesser length than the space between said driven disks or members in order to provide clearance for cam rings or members 15 and 1'6 loosely sleeved to turn upon the driven members against the ends of-the hub of the driving member, said cam rings being connected to the driving member to turn therewith and having a limited turning movement relative thereto by providing segmental slots or openings 17 in the hub 10, as best shown in Fig. 3," through "which slots loosely extend rollers -18 having reduced end portions journaled in the cam members 15 and 16. These cam membersare of substantially the same diameter as the hub19 of the driving member "11', as best shown in Fig. 1 and are connected by the rollers to turn in unison. Each member: is formed with peripheral projections formm spaced cams 19 with beveled or lnclme end faces, as at 20, and through the medium of the rollers 18 connecting the cam rings and'the slots 17 in the hub 10, said cam projections are maintained in proximity to spaced segmental teeth or ribs 21 upon the periphery of the laterall projecting ends of t e hub 10 at both si es of the driving member 11. These ribs 21 do not project as far as the cams 19 and said ribs are formed with abrupt shoulders .22 at each side thereof in contra-distinction to thebeveled end faces 20 of the cams. The cams are of greater length than the ribs 21 so that one end thereof will always extend beyond or overlap the adjacent end of the ribs.

The inner face of each of the driven memhere 5 and 6 has a housing or guide 23 for a spring pressed dog or detent 24 and the inner end of each dog or detent is of a width in a direction longitudinally of the .axle corresponding to the combined width of the rib 21 and adjacent cam 19 with which it contacts, whereby said dogs may each ride upon one of the cams or engage a shoulder 22 of the adjacent rib, said dogs being each formed to engage and slide in said housings 23 freelv within dove tailed grooves 25 radially disposed relative to the axis of the driven members. Each dog has a recess 26 for a coiled compression spring 27 interposed between the bottom of the recess and a retaining member 28 on the outer end of each housing that protrudes over the open end of the groove 25 and retains the spring within its recess.

In order that the operation of the differential or power transmitting mechanism may be clearly understood, reference will be had to Fig.3, and assuming that the driving element 11 is rotating counter-clockwise, as indicated by the arrow, with one or more of the shoulders 22 engaged with one or more of the dogs 24, the rear ends of the slots 17 will engage the rollers 18 and cause the cam rings 15 and 16 to revolve in a similar direction. The forward ends or shoulders of the ribs 21 of the driving'member 11 are thus positioned in advance of the cams 19 of said members 15 and 16 with the rear ends of said projections to the rear of the rear shoulder, and consequently the forward shoulders engage the dogs or detents 24 and cause the driven elements 5 and 6 to revolve in unison with the driving element. Assuming that the driving member is revolving clockwise as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, one of the shoulders 22 engaged with one of the dogs to drive one of the driven members. the other driven member with its dog 24 may advance or turn at a higher rate of speed, its dog being free to leave the forward shoulder of the driving rib. \Vhen this dog. by reason of the greater speed of the driven member upon which it is carried, overtakes the next rib of the driving member, said dog is raised by engagement with the rear end 'of the adjacent cam and rides thereon over the rib without engaging the rear shoulder of said rib. Each driven member is therefore free at all times to rotate faster in the direction of rotation than the companion 'driven member and when rotating at the same speed, is positively driven by the engagement of one of the driving shoulders with .its dog. driven member is turning faster than the other, its dog is reciprocated as it slides over the succeeding driving ribs upon the cam projections with which it is held in yielding contact by its spring 2T. Upon reversal of rotation of the driving member, the cam rings shift or turn relatively thereto as they are driven solely by their rollers 18 extending through the slots 17 in the driving member and said rollers will therefore shift to the opposite ends of said slots upon reversal of rota'jion of the driving member. The slots limit the relative rotation of the driving and cam members so that when the direction of r "ration of the driving member is changed, th cam rings will shift just sufficiently to clear the driving shoulders at the then advance side of the driving ribs and to' project rearwardly beyond the ribs in a position to be engaged jbv the dog of a driven member should one of said members he turned by an exterior force faster than the speed at which the other is driven. In motor vehicle construction. this exterior force would be the outer traction wheel traveling in a reater radius in contact with the ground than the inner wheel which would turn the slower of the two and would thus be positively driven by the motor. In turning a corner, the inner wheel is therefore the driving wheel and the vehicle is less liable to skid or slide laterally. In this arrangement the power is always appliedto the wheel which offers the greater resistance to turning and the maximum traction is thus secured.

I claim- 1'. In a power transmitting mechanism, rotarv driven and rotary driving member radially movable. dogs carried by certain of said members and shoulders on certain other of said members to be engaged by the dogs when the members are turned in either direction. and cam members having a limited movement relativeto said members so as to direct the respective dogs away from the shoulders when the driven members revolve faster than the-driving member.

2. In a power transmitting mechanism, rotary driven members, a rotary driving member therebetween having a hub portion at each side thereof provided with projecting shoulders. dogs bodily movable in a radial direction carried by the driven members to engage the shoulders when the driving member is turned in either direction, and cam rings disposed between the ends of the hub of the driving member and driven members in frictional engagement with said members and having a limited rolVhile one tation relative to the drivingmember to engage and lift the respective dogs from the path of the shoulders when'thc driveh memhers revolve faster than't/he driving member.

peripheral cams, and means connecting the cam members and working through slots in the driving member to permit of a relativo limited turning movement between the cam members and driving member, so that I the cams will engage and lift the respective dogs away from the shoulders when the driven members revolve faster than the driving member.

4. A power transmitting mechanism, ro-: tary driven members, a rotary driving member therebctween and having a hub portion at each side provided with shoulders, dogs carried by tlr driven members and bodily movable radially thereof to engage the shoulders when the driving member is ro tated in either direction, members having peripheral cam portions, adjacent to said shoulders and adapted to engage beneath said do '5 to raise the same radially out of the path ofsaid shoulders, means connecting the driving member with said members having the cam portions to turn therewith and permitting a limited relative turning movement of said driving and cam members.

5. In a power transmitting mechanism, rotary driven members, a rotary driving member therehetween, radially movable dogs on the driven members, the driving member having shoulders to be engaged by said dogs when turned in either direction,

and earns adjacent to said. shoulders having a limited movement relative to the driving meinber so as to bring said cams into the path of said dogs and mo e the same away from the shoulders when either ofthe driven lmembers' revolvc faster than the drivingmember.

6. Ina power transmitting mechanism,

a two-part shaft, rotary driven nlemberson the abutting ends of said shaft, a driving member rotatable on the shaft between sai members, radially movable dogs, said driven members being provided with radial guides.

for said dogs and the driving member having concentric enlargements on its sides formed with shoulders to ehgage the dogs whenlthe driving element is rotated in either direction, and cam members disposed between the driving and driven members and having limited rotation relative to the driving member'and rovided with camprojections opposite said enlargements to engage tween the driving and driven mem an'tl raise said dogs out of the path of said Q shoulders when the driven members revolv -i;

faster than tliedriving member.

7.-In a power transmitting mechanisni,

rotarydriyen members, a rotary driving member therebetween, radially movable springactriated dogs on the driven membe rs, the driit ng memb 1- having shoulders to be enagedilby said age when turned in either direbtion, and cam members rotw.

tively' mountedato turn with and relatively to the driving member, said cam members beingaprovided with cam projections mdja cent 'towsaidlshoulders and adapted to be ehgaged by said dogs when said driven members are turned faster than said driving 8. In a power transmitting mechanism,

mg member is revolved ineither direction,

and cam member's fsictionall-y engaging the driven members and connected to the driving member to turn therewith and having a rotatable movement relative thereto to en'- gage beneath the dogs and lift the same out of the path of the shoulders.

9. In apower transmitting mechanism, totary driven members, arotary driving member therebetween and having projecting portions form d with shoulders at its ends, dogs carrie by the driven members to engage the respective ends of the projections when the driving member is rotated in eitherdirection, cam members disposed between the driving and driven members, each cam member having aplurality of cams to engage the dogs and move the dogs out of engagement with the shoulders, and means connecting the cam members and operating to cause the said cam members to rotate with the driving member and adapted to permit the same to have a movement relative thereto. 1 v

10. In a power transmitting mechanism, a two-part shaft, rotary driven members'iiecured to adjacent ends of the shaft parts? a rotary driving member between the 'drivkn members free to turn upon the shaft and having a concentric slot and a plurality of mdial projections, dogs on the driven members to engage the respective ends ofthe pro'ections when the driving member is turne in either direction, cam members dis osed. be];

eac cam member having a plurality of peripheral cams adjacent the respective projections to engage beneath the do 7 and ms connecting the cam members an world;

'i ngthrough the slots in the driving member.

11. In a power transmitting mechanism, a rotary driving member, a rotary driven member, a. dog carried by one of said mem hers, the other member having projections forming shoulders to be engaged by said dog when the driving member is rotated in either direction. and a member having limited movements relative to the member having and lift the same out of" engagement the shoulders when the driven member rotates faster than driving member.

12. In a power transmittingmechanism, a rotary driving member a rotary driven member, a radially movable dog on one of the said members, the other member having J coplel a! this patent may be obtained for shoulders facing in opposite directions to be engaged by the dog member is rotated in elther direction and a cam member frictionally engaging that member having the dog, and having limited n'iovements relative to that member having the shoulders, the cam member having cams cooperating with the respective shoulders, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM FLEENOR.

\flitnesses H. J. Damian, HARRY Olfm, Jr.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0."

when the driving 

